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Franklin spent most of the year out of the league before signing with the Redskins in October. He was released after one appearance, making him eligible for a futures deal. Franklin was a six-year starter prior to this season and provides veteran insurance with Trent Williams recovering from knee surgery. It's a low-risk flyer for Washington.

The deal includes a fifth-year team option for 2022. In three years at Washington, Vea tallied 15 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. Vea draws Haloti Ngata comparisons for his gargantuan size and powerful bull rush, but his get off is much less explosive, and Vea played only 62% of UW's 2017 defensive snaps. Still, Vea’s tape shows light feet for a big man, position flexibility, and an ability to create space for linebackers behind him to run free.

Although eligible to participate, the suspended running back is skipping voluntary OTAs. He's unhappy with his contract situation. He's heading into the final year of his deal. Ingram's ban and Alvin Kamara's emergence have made a summer extension extremely unlikely for the eighth-year pro.

If you're not ahead of schedule this time of year, you're behind schedule. It's still good to hear the Saints are happy with Meredith's recovery. The ex-Bear is eight months removed from going under the knife to repair his ACL. There's a chance he's declared 100 percent ahead of training camp but it's more likely that he's brought along slowly, and perhaps held out of the preseason.

Dak Prescott said Tavon Austin will be used all over the formation with the Cowboys.

"Coaches have a great plan, whether it's getting him out of the backfield, lining him up at X, lining him up at Z, putting him in the slot," Prescott said. "He's a guy we get the ball in his hands, he'll score some points and get a bunch of yards in this offense." Earlier this month, EVP Stephen Jones said Austin is a "web back" who they want to get "a dozen to two dozen" touches per game. Consider us skeptical, but the Cowboys are shoveling as much coal into the hype train as possible.

Bills coach Sean McDermott said No. 7 overall pick Josh Allen is currently working as the third-team quarterback.

A.J. McCarron and Nathan Peterman are splitting first-team reps, and Allen is working behind them. It is not surprising the Bills are making the rookie work with the backups, but it is almost certainly a temporary situation. If he shows well in camp, Allen should open the season as the starter.

Benjamin's health was always going to be important for the Bills, but that is especially true with the news Zay Jones underwent knee surgery last week. Benjamin caught 16 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown in six games with the Bills last season, but he was never really healthy during that run.

Bills coach Sean McDermott said Zay Jones underwent knee surgery last week and will miss the rest of the offseason program.

Jones also underwent shoulder surgery in January. McDermott said the Bills are not worried the injury "will jeopardize his season," but it is yet another issue for a receiver coming off a dreadful rookie campaign. With Jones out, the Bills have Kelvin Benjamin and not much else at receiver.

The Miami Herald's Armando Salguero said Ryan Tannehill to Danny Amendola "is gonna be a thing in 2018."

In an appearance on The Joe Rose Show, Salguero said he thinks Amendola can catch 80-85 passes as a replacement for Jarvis Landry. That certainly seems within the realm of possibilities, but it is important to note two things. One, Amendola has struggled to stay healthy under heavy workloads in the past. Two, the Dolphins also added Albert Wilson to their receiver corps this offseason. Even with those caveats, however, Amendola carries enough upside to warrant a pick in the double-digit rounds.

"I’m clear to play football, so whatever that entails I can do it," he said. "Honestly, at this point, it’s just, 'Let it rip.'" Tannehill has been practicing without a brace during OTAs, but he plans to wear one during the regular season.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe reports the Patriots are nearing a reworked contract with Rob Gronkowski.

Contract discussions have been "positive," per Howe, and a new deal sounds imminent. Gronkowski wants more money, and understandably so. Gronkowski would be a first-ballot Hall of Famer if his career ended today, yet Gronk is presently the NFL's fourth-highest paid tight end behind Jimmy Graham, Travis Kelce, and Jordan Reed.

Colts coach Frank Reich insists the team is "not worried at all" that Andrew Luck (shoulder) has yet to resume throwing.

It has been 507 days since Luck threw a football. "Right now we’re just continuing to stay in the same mode," Reich said of his quarterback's never-ending rehab. "Can’t cut things short. There’s no reason to cut things short. It’s a day-by-day process and evaluation and just staying trusting in that." Luck believes his last rehab failed because he "skipped steps." Luck hopes to be throwing "without restrictions" by the start of training camp. That would require picking up a football in the very near future.